The present invention concerns internal combustion engines, and more particularly, this invention refers specifically to the optimal reduction of fuel consumption derived from the increase of volumetric and combustion efficiencies, produced by additional air supplied through the intake manifold, while reducing the work and vacuum effort of pistons. All of which allows a simultaneous reduction of fuel and a noticeable power boost. The system is intended to work for most internal combustion engines.
1. Definition of Terms
A) Internal combustion engines: in general refers to engines that naturally aspirate with a throttle valve controlling and restricting the air flow through the intake manifold and where fuel does not partake in a lubricant function.
B) Any fuel delivery system, for example, carburetor, throttle body injection continuous injection system, multipoint injection, pulsed electronic fuel injection, mixer dosifier of air for natural gas or liquid petroleum gas, diesel direct injection.
C) Any fuel: refers mainly to fuels inflammable by a spark of ignition, such as: gasoline, methanol, ethanol, or gasohol mixtures, natural gas, liquid petroleum gas. In case of any reference to diesel or fuel-oil, we will refer specifically to them.
2. Background Discussion
It is common knowledge that for a conventional combustion engine, the ideal combustion could be defined by the relation between: the maximum amount of energy generated by the minimum amount of fuel mixed with the exact amount of oxygen present in the air-fuel mixture, uniformly distributed in each cylinder to produce the total burning of fuel, while a minimum production of solid residues and polluting emission results. This definition would represent reaching almost 100% efficiency in a combustion process. For the purpose of reaching maximum efficiency and a significant reduction of fuel consumed by internal combustion engines, it is convenient to discriminate the main factors involved in the combustion process as well as the problems and limitations of operational design inherent to engines and how it affects their internal combustion and performance.
3. Oxygen, Essential Factor
In order to burn fuel and for combustion to take place, it is necessary for a carburetant to be present. Specifically, the carburetant is oxygen, which is an indispensable element for enabling combustion to take place. Combustion is an oxidation process where the elements carbon and hydrogen present in the oxidation reaction provide high energy production and harmless byproducts (carbon dioxide and water).
RICH CONDITIONxe2x80x94If we work with an excess of fuel and there is not enough oxygen to burn all the fuel, it will result in certain portions of uncombusted fuel, which will form carbon deposits in the combustion chamber and highly toxic emissions such as residual hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide expelled to the environment through the exhaust system. Also, engines will consume a greater amount of inefficient fuel wasted in producing harmful byproducts and not in generating energy.
LEAN CONDITIONxe2x80x94Due to the fact that all the oxygen used in internal combustion engines is supplied by atmospheric air with the inconvenience that air can only supply approximately 20% of oxygen together with an unwanted 80% of nitrogen, it would be reasonable to supply excess of air to burn all the fuel entering the combustion chamber. But, the problem is that excess air generates high combustion temperatures and both elements nitrogen and oxygen combine, thereby forming nitrogen oxides (NOx emissions) which are harmful byproducts, key element of smog. Both working conditions (rich and lean) produce harmful emissions contributing to smog formation, in contrast to the clean air desired.
Stoichiometric Ratio
For today""s engines, with the increased emphasis on fuel economy and reduced emissions, the air-fuel ratio has to be controlled much more carefully. The ideal air-fuel ratio, the one which yields the most complete combustion and the best compromise between rich and lean mixtures is 14.7:1, the mixture is neither rich nor lean, this ratio is expressed in terms of mass. Modern technologies and vehicle manufacturers express that the stoichiometric ratio can also be described in terms of the air requirements of engines, and calls this, the xe2x80x98EXCESS AIR FACTORxe2x80x99 or LAMBDA. At the Stoichiometric Ratio, when the amount of air equals the amount required for complete combustion of fuel and there is no EXCESS AIRxe2x88x92Lambda=1. When there is excess air (air-fuel ratio leaner than stoichiometric) Lambda will be greater than one. When there is a shortage of air (air-fuel ratio richer than stoichiometric) then Lambda will be less than one. This concept of Lambda (the excess air factor) was created to support thinking in terms of the air requirements of engines working with electronic fuel injection where intake air-mass flow is measured and a computer determines the corresponding amount of fuel to be injected. Older carburetor systems tend to run richer than the ideal air-fuel ratio, where air flow through carburetors extracts proportional amounts of fuel from venturis. In other words, every time the term xe2x80x9cAirxe2x80x9d appears in this application, it should be understood, which way and how much oxygen is supplied to the engine and possible harmful byproducts affecting emissions.
Limitations of the Operational Design
This concerns, restrictions and inconveniences related to engine design that affect negatively the appropriate supply of xe2x80x9cAirxe2x80x9d for the combustion process promoting incomplete combustion and affecting regulated emissions. Main Limitationxe2x80x94It is well known that in carbureted and throttle body injected (Central Injection) engines, the fuel and the air, are supplied together by the fuel delivery system, where the vacuum low pressure is responsible for the aspiration and formation of an air flow drawn from the ambient (at atmospheric pressure). This intake air flow will receive the intake atomized fuel (from venturis or fuel injectors) in order to transport it, mixed in the air current running through the intake manifold for its later ignition at the combustion chamber. In multipoint fuel injection (Ported Injection) fuel is sprayed by injectors at ports located into the intake manifold very near to the intake valves. For both cases, older and latest fuel delivery systems, the main limitation is the throttle valve controls that restrict the unique air supply. This joint supply of fuel and restricted air creates an inconvenient interdependence between them, which in the end translates into limitations imputable not only to the design, but also to the way the engine performs and the way the fuel delivery system operates under different throttle positions and vacuum variables, generating problems such as: defective vaporization and adherence of liquid fuel to elbows, walls, and ports of the intake manifold; irregular distribution of air-fuel mixture to each of cylinders; rich or lean mixtures under different operational conditions. All these problems translate into partial burning of fuel resulting in certain portions of uncombusted fuel wasted in producing harmful byproducts. Furthermore, for carbureted engines it is impossible to increase the air flow, taken in through the fuel delivery system, without producing simultaneously extraction and aspiration of an additional amount of fuel. Consequently, this explains the inconvenient interdependence resulting from a joint supply of air and fuel, as well as removing the possibility of supplying additional air by restricted normal intake. On the other hand, in order to reduce the fuel consumption, obviously the amount of fuel delivered should be reduced. To manage this, we must reduce the diameter of the passages located at internal parts (gillets, venturis, or injectors), through which the fuel runs in the fuel delivery system, or shorten the pulse time (Electronic Injection). Such a reduction could be so noticeable, that it would be very easy to find the proper amount of restricted air to match and carry out the combustion of all the reduced amount of fuel, with a minimum production of residues and effluents, but also, energy excepted by explosion will be reduced, thus generating less power. From the above we can derive that a reduction of fuel xe2x80x98per sexe2x80x99, implies a sacrifice in the power of the engine. Such problems and limitations just mentioned are subject to corrections and improvements, this is one of the objectives of this invention.
4. Brief Summary of Prior Art
During several years, numerous efforts have been made focused mainly in developing methods to reduce gasoline consumption, while improving efficiency of combustion and at the same time, reducing the exhaust emissions and fumes expelled-to the environment. A great number of new techniques and a diversity of inventions have been implemented and developed, in order to correct certain deficiencies of carbureted and central injected engines, such as: incomplete vaporization of gasoline, air-fuel mixtures for different driving conditions, irregular distribution of fuel in the cylinders, lack of air during acceleration or oxygen insufficiency. In order to overcome these deficiencies, various devices have been developed to generate micro-turbulences with air at sonic speeds, vaporized hot air, air injection controlled by: diaphragms, valves, pistons, or passages with narrow opening and small orifices. Other methods and devices inject pure oxygen alone or mixed with air. After having analyzed each of these systems and devices in detail, it is possible to observe that none of them have been designed to reduce the a mount of fuel xe2x80x98per sexe2x80x99 entering the combustion chamber. Nevertheless, we can observe that they allow the entrance of previously filtered air in some cases at intervals and in other cases in a continuous pattern, while in yet other cases the ambient air is introduced using pressure. Most of these are connected below the fuel delivery system, either through the P.C.V. valve or directly to the intake manifold. But, all of them impose limitations and restrictions by blocking the running of the necessary volume of additional air.
To understand the restrictive supply of air through devices, it would be convenient to explain the meaning of vacuum in terms of Absolute Pressure. The manifold vacuum is currently specified in inches of Mercury (In. Hg). xe2x80x9c29.92 in. Hgxe2x80x9d is the difference between standard atmospheric pressure at sea level and absolute vacuum. Using Atmospheric pressure as a baseline zero, any lower manifold pressure is expressed as a negative value-vacuum implying a strong, sudden pull of air. On the other hand, using Absolute Pressure as a reference point, the piston on its intake stroke is creating a very low pressure in the cylinder approaching zero Absolute Pressure, or Maximum Absolute Vacuum. Outside the engine, atmospheric pressure is always a positive value, and it is continuously pressing over the throttle valve which separates both opposite pressures and regulates the intake air flow. Incoming air is matched with fuel to produce power and an increase in r.p.m. replacing the lost vacuum, by this form the engine works in a compensated way. The undiscriminated supply of additional air through an alternate way (devices), would produce a drastic reduction of negative pressure of vacuum (Low Absolute Pressure), by its abrupt annulment with the positive atmospheric pressure (High Absolute Pressure) causing sudden compensation (the quick equalizing) of both pressures without raising the r.p.m., provoking failures and disfunction of the engine until it is turned off.
Advanced Technologies. Government standards for emissions and fuel economy are becoming increasingly important to save fuel and clean air, and to preserve the global environment. During the past three decades, car makers have been continuously working to meet mandated fuel economy standards and tighter emission limits for the 90""s. Computerized engine control and fuel injection are the only way to meet those needs. In contrast with carburetors, the throttle valve regulates (restriction) only air flows into the engine, and fuel injection systems deliver fuel by forcing it into the incoming air stream. Incoming air is measured by air flow or air mass sensors, signals received by computer determine the fuel to be delivered in precise amounts based directly on that measure. Multipoint systems delivers fuel at the engine intake ports near the intake valves. This means that the intake manifold delivers only air, in contrast to carburetors or single-point (Central) fuel injection systems in which the intake manifold carries the air-fuel mixture. As a result, these systems offer the following advantages: (1) Reduced air-fuel ratio variability; (2) Fuel delivery matched to specific operating requirements; (3) Improved driveability by reducing the throttle change lag which occurs while the fuel travels from the carburetor or throttle body to intake ports; (4) Increased fuel economy by avoiding condensation of liquid fuel on interior walls of the intake manifold (manifold wetting); (5) Engine run-on is eliminated when the key is turned off. Additionally, the exhaust oxygen sensor (Lambda sensor) and the control module (Computer) form the air-fuel ratio closed-loop system that continually adjusts the mixture by changing the fuel-injector pulse time. In normal warm operation the oxygen sensor generates a higher voltage because the mixture is rich, so the control module reduces pulse time to make the mixture lean. Oxygen sensor voltage falls, so the control module increases pulse time to enrich the mixture. Closed-loop air-fuel ratio control operates quickly and continuously to maintain the air-fuel ratio as close as possible to the stoichiometric, because this control cannot hold the air-fuel mixture within the required range. Successful operation of a three-way catalytic converter requires that the air-fuel ratio be maintained at Lambda=1. At this point the emissions of all three pollutants (NOx,CO and residual HC) is reduced to the lowest level. Because of tightening exhaust emissions regulations and the need for a three way catalyst, a Lambda sensor (exhaust gas oxygen sensor) is provided on virtually every car made since 1981, domestic or import, fuel injected or carbureted. Catalytic converters control emissions and reduce the need for engine tuning. In addition, government legislation established an average miles per gallon (mpg) standard to apply to the total fleet of cars each manufacturer delivers each year. Further, the target mpg standard rose each year, starting al 18 mpg in 1978, and rising up to 27.5 mpg in the 1990""s. The obvious question: What is the reason? Harmful emissions under partial combustion control have been discussed above. NOx controlled harmless emissions and carbon dioxide (CO2-greenhouse effect) emission will be discussed below. Until recently, carbon dioxide (CO2) was considered a harmless emission. But now the greenhouse effect must be considered. Recent studies show that CO2 is accumulating in the upper atmosphere, trapping global heat much as glass traps heat in a greenhouse. Most experts consider that global warming of only a few degrees would have disastrous worldwide results.
The probable results are a rise in global temperatures, successive heat waves, and iceberg melting, which would raise Ocean levels to flood seaside properties worldwide. Any burning of fossil fuel (even properly combusted) produces carbon dioxide. About 750 cu. ft. of invisible CO2 (twice the volume of a typical car) are expelled through exhaust systems for each gallon of fuel burned. Unlike the other combustion by-products (HC,CO,NOx), the CO2 cannot be treated to eliminate its harmful effects. Reduction in CO2 requires reducing the amount of fuel burned. It is an object of this invention to improve efficiency to its xe2x80x98optimal levelxe2x80x99.
The provision of a nonrestrictive device that allows entry of additional air, via the intake manifold, avoiding the internal decompensation of the engine, but that at the same time allows a xe2x80x98per sexe2x80x99 fuel-CO2 reduction, without a loss of power, is another principal objective of this invention.
During the past half century, until today, internal combustion engines that work like air-vacuum pumps have been used. A piston traveling downward on its intake stroke creates a vacuum (pressure lower than atmospheric) in the cylinder. In theory, the amount of air which is taken in by an engine is determined by the displacement and the r.p.m. The term used to describe how well the engine aspirates air and the true value as compared to the theoretical 100%, is xe2x80x98Volumetric Efficiencyxe2x80x99. In practice, several factors reduce the theoretical maximum: (1) Valve timing limits the amount of air which can be taken-in on the downward displacement stroke or pumped out on the exhaust stroke. (2) Volumetric efficiency is reduced on the intake side by: the air filter, the choke throttle valve (carburetors), the air flow sensor (vane type, and sensor plates used in fuel injection), the throttle valve, and the intake manifold and ports. They impede the free flow of air into the combustion chamber. (3) Volumetric efficiency is further reduced by the restrictions of the exhaust system: exhaust manifolds, catalytic converters, mufflers. Even more, today""s most sophisticated engines run Wide Open Throttle (WOT) in the 70-80% range; while old carbureted systems run WOT in the 50-60% range. When the throttle valve is fully open, it causes almost no restriction, and full atmospheric pressure is admitted to the intake manifold. This creates the greatest possible difference between manifold pressure and cylinder pressure, and the greatest intake air flow. The least intake air flow occurs when the throttle valve is nearly closed. The restriction of the throttle valve limits the effect of atmospheric pressure. There is little difference between manifold pressure and the low pressure (vacuum) in the cylinders, obviously air flow is very low. At this point we could ask, what is the Volumetric Efficiency range for this condition? Certainly not all engines run at WOT conditions. Normally, engines run WOT (maximum volumetric efficiency) just for a short time; most of the time they run at: idling, coasting, or part-throttle acceleration (throttle is nearly closed, equals low volumetric efficiency). This restrictive operation causes an extreme vacuum condition (low pressure) implying that pistons must aspirate from a practically closed inner space that at the same time is empty and lacks air. This occurs during their downward displacement (intake stroke), resulting in negative work and effort, that is to say, inefficient work which implies a waste of the energy generated by the explosion, while additional amounts of fuel are consumed producing this wasted energy. The vacuum has the capacity to aspirate constantly variable volumes of air depending on the internal displacement and the number of revolutions per minute (rpm) of the engine. For a four stroke engine, the internal total volume of cylinders should be filled within two revolutions. Since the production of the vacuum is constant, this implies a constant inefficiency and waste of unnecessary fuel-working energy in each revolution of the engine.
From this we can assert that even if ideally a 100% efficiency could be reached during the combustion, the resulting power could never correspond to the power that could be generated by 100% of the energy excerpted from the explosion.
To sum up, it is possible to describe the combustion that takes place in any conventional engine as an incomplete and defective process due mainly to the inadequate and restricted supply of ambient air which carries the carburetant oxygen which is absolutely necessary in a variable volume-mass, but always enough to carry out the total burn of the variable volume-mass of any type of fuel delivered through any kind of fuel delivery system, in accordance with the operating conditions of the said engine. In relation to this incomplete combustion there are several problems and limitations that must be overcome:
1. Insufficient arid restricted air supply.
2. Non-burned fuel consumption without any energy production.
3. Wasted fuel producing harmless and harmful emissions.
4. Close in conditions and internal extreme vacuum.
5. Negative work and effort due to vacuum production.
6. Combusted fuel consumption to producing wasted energy.
7. Wasted energy to supply the negative work of pistons.
8. Poor engine volumetric efficiency.
9. Loss of power due to fuel reduction.
10. Engine failures due to decompensation (vacuum leaks).
In accordance to the solution of the problems and limitations previously expressed, the objective of the present invention is to provide a versatile system that can be adapted to most internal combustion engines. One that has been designed to supply variable volume-masses of clean air through an alternate non-restrictive way, where the air flow is regulated by the operative rotation (rpm) of the engines during different working conditions, while not provoking failure or disfunction due to decompensation. Such compensation system should improve and make the appropriate corrections to the problems previously mentioned.
This and other objectives, will be made clear in the following specification and claims, attributed to the xe2x80x9cFuel Consumption Optimizer and Carbon Dioxide Emissions Reducerxe2x80x9d system, from here on referred to as xe2x80x9cAir-Power Boosterxe2x80x9d. This system is based on xe2x80x9cThe Air-Vacuum Liquid Compensation Devicexe2x80x9d of the present invention.
The fuel consumption optimizer and carbon dioxide emissions reducer, or xe2x80x9cair-power boosterxe2x80x9d is a device for optimizing fuel consumption and reducing carbon dioxide exhaust emissions in an internal combustion engine, wherein a vacuum is generated when the engine is started. The device includes a booster container having a contained body, an inlet nozzle for air at atmospheric pressure entering the booster container and an outlet nozzle for air under low pressure vacuum leaving the booster container, a body of liquid within the container body, the body of liquid being located in a lower portion of the container body remotely from the inlet nozzle and the outlet nozzle, a plurality of deflectors located within and attached to the container body, forming passages through which the air travels and at least one of the plurality of deflectors is partially immersed in the body of liquid. The air leaves the body of liquid under vacuum low pressure and passes through passages formed between the plurality of deflectors and leaves the booster container through the outlet nozzle which is connected to the internal combustion engine. Most internal combustion engines have an intake manifold and a throttle reducing device. The air at atmospheric pressure enters the booster container and passes through an atmospheric pressure chamber and through a passage around at least said one of the deflectors into the body of liquid and is influenced in the body of liquid by low pressure vacuum from the intake manifold, which causes the air to form bubbles. The air leaves the body of liquid under the low pressure vacuum and passes through the passages formed between the plurality of deflectors and leaves the booster container through said outlet nozzle which is connected to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, whereby the air travels to the intake manifold under the low pressure vacuum. The liquid is unable to reach the outlet nozzle due to the configuration of deflectors. The booster container may be made of injection molded plastic polymer or other material or by another method, as known in the art. The plurality of said deflectors are positioned spaced away from each other, forming passages for air leaving the liquid to pass therebetween before exiting the container through the outlet nozzle.
A method for optimizing fuel consumption and reducing carbon dioxide exhaust emissions in an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold is carried out by passing air through a booster container before the air enters the intake manifold. The method includes supplying air at atmospheric pressure to a booster container which includes a plurality of deflectors within and attached to the container, passing the air around at least one of the deflectors before the air enters the body of liquid in the booster container, influencing the air in the liquid by a vacuum created in the intake manifold, forming bubbles of the air in the liquid to stabilize the air influenced by the vacuum, passing the air leaving the liquid under vacuum into a liquid compensation chamber and through passages between the deflectors in the booster container to stabilize the stream of air and passing the air under vacuum out of the booster container into an intake manifold of the engine.
The Air-Power Booster is formed by: 1) air-vacuum liquid compensation device or booster component of the system; 2) flexible tubing, optional control valves and accessories that regulate the air flow and allow the adaptation of the system to different sizes and models of engines, as well as to types of fuel delivery systems and fuels used; 3) optional electronic indicators for remote observation (dashboard) which measures the flow and speed of air supplied through the booster, allowing the engine operator or vehicle driver a visual observation of the air flowxe2x80x94speed coming into the engine, while at the same time levels of xe2x80x98Optimum Fuel Consumptionxe2x80x99 are indicated.
The main function of the xe2x80x98Air-Vacuum Liquid Compensation Devicexe2x80x99, known as xe2x80x9cthe Boosterxe2x80x9d, is to allow the internal vacuum low pressure (produced during an intake stroke) to aspirate continuously variable mass-volumes of atmospheric air of ambient pressure entering through the booster. This incoming air will easily overcome the surface tension of the liquid contained in the booster, assisted by the vacuum-low pressure present on the opposite side of the liquid. The only resistance that should be overcome by the air passing through, will be the one imposed by the surface tension of the liquid and this can be considered zero or null. On one side of the liquid we find about ambient atmospheric pressure (1 bar=100 kpa=14.5 psi) and on the opposite side: low pressure providing a vacuum (0.1-0.35 bar=10-35 kpa=1.45-5.80 psi). Additionally, the body of liquid providing the liquid compensation or stabilization will act as a non-restrictive dynamic control valve while at same time it acts like a filter, retaining all the extraneous particles found in the air. This is an additional and secondary function of the liquid. As a result of this process, an additional current of clean and compensated air will flow continuously, supplying variable mass-volumes dependent on the operative rotation (rpm) and the volume of total internal displacement of the engine. Due to the fact that the air passing through the body of liquid is converted into bubbles, it will travel upward very fast in an interrupted pattern, but it will never run in a continuous pattern. Running this way, the body of liquid acts like a non-restricted dynamic valve. The compensated or stabilized air current at low pressure enters directly into the intake manifold, filling partially the internal volume of the engine, allowing it to work in a less restrictive condition, more open to the atmosphere, reducing the conditions of extreme-closed high vacuum (excessive low pressure) without failure or disfunction due to decompensation or lack of stabilization. All of this is possible without affecting the function of valves, devices, or accessories dependent on the vacuum which will continue to work in the conventional way, (Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve, spark ignition timing, shift box valve, air-conditioned accessories).
The objectives fulfilled by these new operative working conditions, produced by the constant presence of additional air, filling the internal volume (space) of the engine, imply advantageous changes in the performance of the engine. Bestowing to the xe2x80x98Air-Power Boosterxe2x80x99 characteristics that separate it, in a very distinctive and ample manner, from all others included in the prior art, while at the same time conforming to the uniqueness of this invention, as explained below.
Significant reduction of fuel usage xe2x80x9cper sexe2x80x9d, while at the same time increasing torque and power is obtained. As we know, air is drawn into the engine with each intake stroke of each piston. The piston moving down on its intake stroke increases cylinder volume and lowers pressure in the cylinder (producing vacuum). With the intake valve open, atmospheric air (at higher positive pressure) rushes in from the intake manifold to fill the cylinder. In simplest terms, air intake occurs because normal atmospheric pressure is higher (pressure from outside toward inside) than the lowest pressure (vacuum implies sudden strong pull) in the cylinder. Air rushes in during the intake stroke, trying to equalize both pressures. In most engines, the throttle valve restricts intake air flow. As we open the throttle, the opening to atmospheric pressure raises the manifold pressure. So, in practice, the amount of air that rushes into the cylinder on the intake stroke depends on the difference between the pressure in the intake manifold and the lower pressure in the cylinder. While pressure in the intake manifold depends on throttle opening, the greatest restriction occurs when the throttle is closed or nearly closed (idling, coasting, part-throttle acceleration), causing extremely high vacuum conditions, and the engine working at its lowest volumetric efficiency, with the piston aspirating from a close inner space practically empty and lacking air, making great effort and wasting energy during its vacuum production. Here lies the importance of the xe2x80x98Air-Vacuum Liquid Compensation Devicexe2x80x99, which allows the internal restricted conditions derived from the throttle valve restrictive operation to change. The xe2x80x98boosterxe2x80x99 does not impose any restriction and, furthermore, facilitates the intake of additional air, supplying it directly to the intake manifold in a stable and compensated way. This will imply of a first portion of atmospheric air passing through the (first) passage of the variable injection system and a second portion of atmospheric air passing through the (second) passage of the air booster device, that most of the aspirated air will be entering mainly through (second) passage of the xe2x80x98boosterxe2x80x99. This new and advantageous event will allow the restrictive air flow coming from the throttle valve (carrying fuel or alone), to become dependent and manageable (under control) by the non-restrictive flow of compensated air originated by the Booster. To a greater flow coming from the booster there will be less flow restricted by the throttle, and vice versa, to a lesser flow of compensated air one will obtain a greater flow restricted by the throttle. In simplest terms, we could say that the amount of air entering directly to the intake manifold could be deduced from the restricted amount of air controlled by the throttle valve.
The following is an example: a carbureted system, V6, 3.0 liters (lt.) engine working at 1000 rpm (idling) will aspirate 1.500 lt. of air-fuel mixture per minute (working at its 100 % volumetric efficiency) through its restrictive throttle valve, if we supply through the xe2x80x98Boosterxe2x80x99 33.33% of air related to the total volume aspirated, it will imply that only 1000 lt. of air-fuel mixture will enter through the restrictive throttle valve. As the volume of fuel extracted by the air passing through a venturi system is proportional to the intake air flow, the volume of fuel will be 33.33% less than the volume originally aspirated. This example explains, the fuel reduction for a carbureted engine. For Hi-tech Electronic Fuel Injected Systems, the principle is the same, except that the throttle valve restricts only the intake air, manifold sensors will measure the incoming air, sending electrical signals to the electronic control module (Computer), which calculates the proper amount of fuel to be injected at the ports. The Lambda Sensor measures the amount of oxygen in the exhaust manifold, and determines the deviation of air-fuel mixture combusted in relation to the stoichiometric (Lambda=1) neither rich nor lean air-fuel ratio, or zero excess of air, the resulting voltage (0.1-0.9 volts) of the Lambda Sensor is registered by the electronic control module, determining the pulse time of electrojectors (electronic injectors). In this way, the control module and Lambda Sensor work jointly in a closed-loop operation, to maintain the air-fuel mixtures as close as possible to the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio. The principle of operation is the same, but the difference is that intaking air through the booster will not be measured by the manifold air flow sensors, making the air-fuel mixture lean for the first time, but the Lambda Sensor will send a low voltage signal (less than 0.45 volts), reporting a lean air-fuel ratio to the control module, which will enrich the next mixture but related to a lower intake air flow measured by the intake manifold air flow sensor. Obviously, the fuel injected will be less. This also, is a fuel reduction xe2x80x9cper sexe2x80x9d. It is very important to highlight that the reduction of fuel consumption xe2x80x9cper sexe2x80x9d, involves, in an implicit way a loss of engine power when the device is not used.
This loss of engine power has been canceled and overcome by the new operative conditions of the engine, derived from the constant presence of stabilized or compensated air coming from the booster. This compensated air flow entering directly through the intake manifold, will partially fill the internal space (volume) of the engine, raising the manifold pressure, implying a significant reduction of maximum vacuum condition, increasing the air flow from the manifold to the cylinder""s inner space, thereby increasing the volumetric efficiency of the cylinder, while at the same time, allowing a dramatic reduction of the work-effort of the pistons, which now can intake suctioning from a partially open space and not from the closed-in space with a lack of air under extreme vacuum conditions (excessive low pressure). All this translates into an increase of torque and power produced by the maximum quantity of energy efficiently generated with a minimum volume of fuel. In this way, the Air-Power booster allows a significant reduction of fuel consumption with a noticeable power boost. Additionally, the optional electronic remote observation device which indicates the speed-flow of air entering the xe2x80x98boosterxe2x80x99, mentioned above, offers the distinct advantage of observing in real time, the degree of optimum consumption of fuel. This allows the operator to obtain the best operative efficiency of the engine. It is important to mention, that the amount of air supplied by the booster to the intake manifold is easily adjustable and controlled by means of a vacuum meter and a restriction valve, allowing supply of the proper amount of air which will allow use of energy and horse-power previously wasted. This in accordance with the internal displacement volume of different engines.
The concepts set forth above are employed for and have been satisfactorily tested on engines equipped with different fuel delivery systems, for example, carburetors, single injection (central TBI), continuous injection (CIS), multiport fuel injection (MFI), multi-point sequential fuel injection (SMFI) and air-natural gas mixer-dosifiers, which works with a throttle valve restrictive system.
Similarly, the Air-Power Booster has been tested on a Mercedes Diesel 4L cylinder, equipped with a Diesel direct injection engine, using a throttle valve air flow control. A significant reduction of diesel consumption as well as a significant reduction of black fumes expelled trough the exhaust pipe were reported. In the same way, the Air-Power Booster can also be installed to work in turbo-diesel injected engines. But a solenoid or check valve should be used in order to close the air-vacuum line connecting the booster to the intake manifold. The booster will work during the inactivity period of the Turbo, that is to say during the low rpm range.
Finally, another no less important feature of the uniqueness of the Air-Power Booster is due to the fact that the system works mainly by correcting the previous operational limitations and increasing the engine efficiency and furthermore by improving the efficiency of combustion affecting reducing the byproducts formed.
The system may use any fuel delivered by any fuel dispensing system with a restricted air flow control. On the other hand, it is the only system based on the principle of Liquid Compensation of Pressures that allows the adjustable intake of stabilized or compensated air-oxygen without causing failures by destabilization or decompensation, while it reduces significantly the work-effort of the piston during its vacuum production, which at the end translates into an optimal fuel consumption with the least amount of carbon dioxide emitted to the environment.